2-29-12

If weight loss and dieting are on your agenda this spring, an unlikely food group may be the help you need.
Consuming dairy products as part of your daily diet can help keep weight down, according to several studies. Findings in the Journal of Nutrition demonstrated that higher-protein, high-dairy diets shaved off belly fat and increased lean muscle.

“One hundred percent of the weight lost in the higher-protein, high-dairy group was fat. And the participants gained muscle mass, which is a major change in body composition,” says Andrea Josse, lead author of the study and a graduate student in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University.
In addition, a Harvard study, which suggests that the food quality is more important than its calorie count, found that eating specific high-quality foods was linked with less weight gain over time. Its data showed that the more daily servings people ate of fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and yogurt, the less weight they gained. In fact, the research found that each extra daily serving of yogurt prevented 0.82 of a pound of weight gain.
The Nutrition and Metabolism journal reported a study in which participants who consumed three or more servings of dairy a day after weight loss were able to eat more calories without gaining weight than those who didn’t consume dairy.
Milk is nutritionally unique in that it is a great source of nine essential nutrients: calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamins A, D and B12, riboflavin and niacin. It provides three of the five “nutrients of concern” that children do not get enough of: calcium, magnesium and potassium.
By combining a high intake of nutrient-rich dairy with regular physical activity, it won’t even feel like you’re trying to lose weight.
“However, as with any diet, you must be realistic. Results take time, so first commit to getting through March to establish a real routine,” says Alyssa Greenstein, a registered dietitian with the Dairy Council of Florida.
According to a National Health and Nutrition survey, 86 percent of women and 76 percent of men fail to meet the recommended dairy intake of three servings each day. That means the majority of Americans don’t have satisfactory levels of essential nutrients like potassium, magnesium, zinc, calcium and folate. These levels plummet when dieters attempt to trim calories by purging dairy.
Learn more about the benefits of dairy at www.floridamilk.com.

---

Complications due to diabetes are the number-one cause of lower-leg amputations and account for nearly 86,000 amputations per year. Doctors estimate almost 50 percent of these amputations could have been prevented if the person had taken better care of their feet.
“I can’t emphasize enough how important it is for a person with diabetes to pay rigorous attention to their feet. Foot infections are the most common issue for a person with diabetes and are more severe and take longer to heal than in a person without diabetes,” says Dr. Alan Farber, a certified doctor of podiatric medicine. Farber added, “Proper foot care is
simple and includes things like using an antifungal daily, not only to heal, but also to prevent
fungal infections, and using a moisturizer daily to heal and prevent dry, cracked skin.”
*    Whether indoors on plush rugs or outdoors on white sand, never walk barefoot.
Podiatrists recommend wide, closed-toed shoes with socks that fit very well. Shoes should not
require “breaking in.”
*    Clean feet daily with warm water and mild soap, but don’t soak them for more than three or four minutes. Skin submerged for too long will become macerated and more vulnerable to bacteria. *    Cracks in dry skin provide ideal openings for bacteria. Look for moisturizing creams containing L-Arginine, like DiabetiDerm Foot Rejuvenating Cream. L-Arginine helps stimulate healthy blood flow to heal dry, cracked skin. This special cream is available only in the diabetic section of your favorite drugstore or superstore.  
*    Under no circumstances should you shave or attempt to remove calluses or corns.
*    Meticulously inspect feet, toes and toenails for swelling, cuts, blisters, redness, fungal buildup or any type of irritation on a daily basis. If you have thickened toenails, have a
podiatrist test for fungus. If fungus is present, an antifungal will likely be recommended.

---

According to Canadian scientists

By Tami Stevenson

Published in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases, researchers from McGill University in Montreal say people will be able to perform self-testing for the HIV virus. With the saliva HIV test OraQuick HIV ½  it only takes 20 minutes for the test to produce results.

According to the report it was 99 percent accurate for HIV in high-risk populations and about 97 percent in low-risk populations. The research states that this has major implications for countries that want to adopt self-testing strategies for HIV.

The current testing is usually in a public clinic with limited privacy. Getting people to show up for the testing is difficult. A confidential self-testing option in the privacy of one’s home may bring an end to early detection problems.